Comhairle Secures Government Funding For Major Investment

Tuesday, 13 March 2018, 11:30

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has been successful in attracting £2.3m from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) for a major investment programme in Newton, Stornoway. The suite of projects, totalling over £9m, will be carried out through a partnership arrangement between the Comhairle, Stornoway Port Authority and several local private business interests.

Councillor Donald Crichton, Chairman of the Comhairle’s Sustainable Development Committee said: "The Comhairle recognises that Stornoway’s Newton area, including Goat Island, has suffered dereliction through a lack of investment over a number of years. The RCGF £2.3m funding secured will help deliver projects that create sustainable employment and also improve the visual blight affecting the local community.

The Comhairle’s Economic Development Regeneration team are engaging directly with local businesses and the Stornoway Port Authority to support the pre and post-construction phases of these projects."

In December 2017 the Comhairle hosted an open day with the local community and businesses in Newton to showcase and consult on the planned developments. Stornoway Port Authority will also host community consultations in the coming months to further develop its own proposals.

The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund is administered through the Scottish Government’s Social Justice and Regeneration Division, having been developed in partnership with COSLA and its member Councils. An annual budget of £25m – open only to applications from Scottish local authorities - provides financial support to deliver eligible projects that deliver large-scale improvements to deprived areas locally.